faq

FAQ

1. Why are you only focusing on Black vegans? Isn’t that racist?

No, focusing on Black vegans isn’t racist. We live in a culture that routinely spotlights and celebrates white folks and the work that they do. It is not racist when Black folks (or any minoritized group) carve out spaces of empowerment for themselves. In an age of mass incarceration, police violence, systemic racism, injustice, and Black Lives Matter, we feel that celebrating Black achievements and Black diversity is necessary and life-changing.

If your automatic reflex is to ask why YOU aren’t allowed into a space that is meant to empower Black people, then you might need to re-visit your politics.

2. Isn’t Veganism a “white person’s thing?”

No. The goal of this website is to demonstrate how Black people have been and are vegan. We are a diverse movement and there are many of us. Saying that veganism is white erases all of these incredible diverse Black voices and contributions.

3. Isn’t it insensitive to be talking about veganism and animal rights at a time when the conversation should be about systemic racism?

BVR was created to showcase how diverse and rich the Black vegan community is. All too often, Black vegans are not specifically catered to, and the point of the website is to elevate and celebrate our community and its diversity. Check out the Mission page and the About page for more information.

5 . How do I get featured on this website?

Send an email to blackvegansrock [at] gmail [dot] com. This site has been around since 2016, and we feel like we've generally made our point: black vegans exist! Therefore, we're not necessarily asking around for features anymore. However, if you're interested in being up on the site, send us an email!

6. I submitted my information, but why didn’t I get featured?

Because of the sheer volume of emails that we’re receiving, it is difficult to get to everyone’s email immediately. Keep checking the website to see if your feature is up. If your feature is not posted within thirty days of your submission, send us an email to check in. If your submission is inappropriate or not suitable for most audiences, we might not feature you.

7. If I’ve been featured already, can I still get another feature?

We aim to spotlight as many Black vegans as possible and the great work that's being done in the community. There is no hard and fast rule that would exclude anyone from being featured more than once. With that being said, we cannot guarantee that any one individual or organization will be featured more than once within a given time period.

If you're interested in having a more consistent presence on the Black Vegans Rock website or social media pages, send an email to blackvegansrock [at] gmail [dot] com.

8. Do I have to be vegan to get featured?

Yes. The whole goal of the website is to spotlight Black folks who are normally marginalized in other communities because of their vegan politics. We want to center Black vegans who are usually not centered in any other spaces.

9. Can I be vegetarian and still get featured?

No. Again, the goal of the website is to specifically cater to Black vegans. Vegans and vegetarians are not the same thing. Vegans don’t wear or consume any animal products at all and vegetarians still consume and wear animal products. (Yes, we know that's a super basic, crass definition). We are not afraid to specifically cater to vegans. However, if your organization caters to both vegetarians and vegans, or deals with Black vegans in any way, we can discuss it further. Send an email to info [at] blackvegansrock.com if you have any questions that pertain to this issue. We acknowledge that a lot of Black people have historically chosen to not label themselves as vegan because of its association to whiteness, which is why a lot of vegan Black people still label themselves as vegetarian, even though they are actually vegan.

10. Do I have to live in the U.S. to get a feature?

Absolutely not. Though the founder of the site lives in America, she is invested in advertising Black vegans all over the world.

11. I’m a mixed-race Black person. Can I still get featured?

Absolutely. The racial landscape of Blackness is diverse, and we aim to celebrate that diversity.

12. Is Black Vegans Rock affiliated with any particular religion?

No.

13. Do you offer medical advice?

No. At BVR, we are scholars and activists, but not doctors. BVR is a representational project, meaning, we are interested in sharing peoples' stories, not giving out medical advice. We are not trained to give out medical tips. Though many of the people we feature discuss medical issues they've experienced, we don't necessarily promote veganism as a solution to fix all of your medical problems. Additionally, we don't want to health-shame anyone (especially people who are vegan and still experiencing chronic medical issues), which is why we try our best to edit features to ensure we aren't sending out problematic messages. Veganism is a political framework to engage with issues like race, power, species, animal oppression etc., however, here at BVR, we also acknowledge that people celebrate the health benefits of a plant-based diet, and we don't mind sharing that part of their journey as well!

14. I was featured on the website, but I'm not vegan anymore. What should I do?

When we feature people on Black Vegans Rock, we are taking your word that you are vegan. However, we understand that for some folks, veganism is a journey with ups and downs. If you're at a point where you're no longer vegan, send us an email at blackvegansrock [at] gmail [dot] com, and we will un-publish your feature. We want to be fair and honest with our followers, which is why we ask that you be honest with us about where you're at with your veganism.

If we find that you've submitted a feature but you're not actually vegan, we will remove you from the website.

15. I would like Black Vegans Rock to be a part of our next conference/festival/event. How do I get BVR involved?

We are more than happy to discuss any opportunities to be a part of a conference or gathering. Please send an email to info [at] blackvegansrock [dot] com to discuss your event further.

16. Does BVR accept financial donations?

Yes. We are currently sustaining this site through grants and financial donations. We are an extremely grassroots space which is purposeful (so that we can control our message easier), so we definitely accept financial donations. If you are interested in donating, send an email to info [at] blackvegansrock [dot] com.